Cash Payments and Open Conversations at Popular Gym for Nightlife Workers

Women working in nightlife pay a lot of attention to their appearance. They often use their days off as “beauty days” for body maintenance or even cosmetic procedures, which is common for them. In Shinjuku, there is a gym specifically for women in the nightlife industry, especially those in the sex trade or “sugar dating.” It’s called “LaLa.”

With two locations in Shinjuku, most of its clients are engaged in nightlife work.

While there is indeed a need for “thorough guidance” or “not wanting to be seen training by others,” the reason women use ‘LaLa’ is “To avoid being in the same space as many men and remind themselves of work” and “to have conversations with trainers without hiding their profession.” These benefits are the reasons why they use “LaLa.”

“While complaining to my trainer about the host I’m assigned to, I’m getting pumped up by having the sound of a champagne toast played. I want to lose weight and transfer to a high-end club.”

The 23-year-old soapland worker, Mao (a pseudonym), explains that by going to the gym, she has reduced the amount of money she spends at host clubs.

“I used to rely on my secondary host for complaints and mental care, spending over 100,000 yen a month. But now I can vent everything here, and exercising helps relieve stress, so I no longer need the secondary host. The gym trainer effectively acts as my secondary host.

At a regular gym, I can’t talk about supporting hosts or working in the sex industry. Also, when asked to follow a diet, it’s hard because, in the sex industry, there are treats, and in sugar dating, eating out is essential. It’s great that they understand these issues here.”

What sets ‘LaLa’ apart from other gyms is that 80% of its revenue is in cash. Same-day payments are also accepted. While this is inefficient from an accounting perspective, it is highly welcomed by women in night jobs, as they often do not have credit cards and live on daily wages.

“Sometimes, there are girls who come to the store with an absolutely huge amount of money (laughs).”

Trainer Riki (22) reflects on this.

“A regular customer, who is always punctual and never absent, arrived 15 minutes late for once. But despite the delay, she was unusually upbeat. When I asked her what happened, she said, ‘Actually, I was caught on camera while I was working, so I was late.’ 

When I asked why she was so energetic despite being filmed, she showed me her bag and said, ‘I’m in great spirits! I actually managed to get 1 million yen as hush money!’ There were wads of cash crammed into the bag. That day, she lifted heavier weights than usual during squats but did so with a smile. It made me realize the power of money.”

In addition to, “One girl had her assigned host’s marijuana left at her home, which led to her arrest during a police raid.” Such as a sugar baby who ” Accumulated over 8 million yen in debt and, with no cash available, started selling her underwear.” And a sex worker who packed a lot of underwear into a carry case. ‘LaLa’ attracts a variety of unique customers.”

The personal gym has become an oasis for women in night jobs.

By the way, a poster for the gym’s “photo diary workshop” was displayed on the wall. It seems they offer guidance not only on workouts but also on earning money.

 

From the July 19, 2024, issue of ‘FRIDAY.’